ZIP 20003
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 20003 usually run 1.5% below trend in December and 1.4% above it in August, about $74 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 20003 is 2.5% below its high of $2,604 in March 2025, at $2,540 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 20003 changed +1.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 21 District of Columbia ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.5%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 20003 rose 8% while median household income rose 18.9% ($134,438 to $159,846). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 20003 is 6.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($159,846) is $3,996 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,370); a 3-bedroom is $4,250.
15th cheapest of 22 ZIP codes in Washington.
ZIP 20020, 2 miles away, rents for 24% less ($1,940/mo), about $7,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 20003. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 20003 (Washington, DC) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 82% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 20003 in Washington, DC has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 20003 in Washington, DC has climbed from $2,171 to $2,540, a 17.0% change over five years. On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 20003 in Washington, DC now reports about $159,846, up from $141,280 in 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 8.5% since 2021, moving from about 34,535 residents to roughly 37,482. Renters now make up 63% of households, compared with 57.7% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 82% of adults here, versus 77.9% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and ZIP 20003 in Washington, DC reflects that arc in its own way.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 20003
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 20003 covers Washington, DC. The median rent here is $2,540/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,108/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,352/mo.
At 19% of local median household income ($159,846/yr), ZIP 20003 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 20003 compare to the rest of Washington?
At $2,540/mo, rent takes ~19% of ZIP 20003's median household income ($159,846/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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